reussner



2 sheetssheet 1.

J ./1 7 wif 1;.- mnu.

h, K ...lil

STBAMDROP HAMMER.

lPatented Jail. 2l

pff

{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. F. L. REUSSNER.

, STEAM DRDP HAMMER.

f a. Einw y '1,1111 F llllllllll UNITED STATES rPATENT OEEIcE.

ALBERT F. L. REUSSNER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM DROP-HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,261, dated January 21, 1896.

Application filed May 28, 189'5x Serial No. 550,940. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. L. REUSS- NER, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Drop-Hammers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in steam drop-hammers, and is specially applicable to stampingmills, although its use is not in any sense restrictive.

The object of the invention is to provide highly-eieent means for quickly and effectively operating the hammer7 to silnplify the construction and operation of the valve mechanism, and to utilize the inertia of the parts for eifecting the blow of the hammer-that is, allowing the full blow to be struck before the piston can be checked by a change in the course of the steam-pressure.

A further object is to provide a main steaminlet valve, the position of which is controlled entirely by steam-pressure.

These objects I accomplish by providing a steam-inlet valve which is normally held raised by a steanrpressure against its under side and which is lowered by a greater pressure against its upper end, said latter pressure being under the control of a primary valve, the position of which is controlled by the movement of the hammer-carrying piston. The time consumed in effecting the lowering of the steam-inlet valve so as to admit steam against the under side of the main piston is such that the full force of the blow of the hammer is struck before any cheek is had thereon by the lower steam-pressure.

The invention comprises the novel features of construction and also the combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully setforth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view showing my improvements applied to the drop-hammer of a stampmill with the hammer lowered. Fig. 2 is a similar viowwith parts omitted, showing the hammer raised. Figs. 3 and i are sectional views taken on lines x and y y, Figs. l and 2, respectively. Figs. '5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of a valve-casing taken at right angles to each other. Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, sectional views on the lines .a .e and yzu to, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of themain inlet-valve, and Fig. lO is an enlarged View of primary valve.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the framework, a the inclosing portion of a stamp-mill, and a the feed-hopper therefor.

B is the piston-cylinder supported by frame A, the upper and lower ends of said cylinder being provided with stuffing-boxes a2 and a3. In one side of this cylinder are two steamports l) and b', leading, respectively, from points near the center to the upper and lower ends thereof, into which they open.

O is a valve-casing attached to or formed with cylinder B. It is provided with a een tral steam-chamber d, upper and lower ports cl and d2, which coincide, respectively, with the steam-ports l) b', while above and below these ports cl and (Z2 are exhaust-ports cl3 and di, which open at their outer ends into a single outlet c25. Steam is admitted to chamber d by a pipe (ZG. In the walls separating these series of chambers are coincident circular openings.

To the lower end or bottom of casing C is connected an extension D, having a central bore or chamber e, a drip-cock e, and packing e2, forming a buffer. To the top of said casing is attached an extension E having a central bore. or chamber e3 of greater diameter than the chamber e. Upon the upper end of this extension is fitted a casing F of aprimary valve. This casing is provided with a lower threaded recess designed to engage a threaded portion of extension E. In this casing is a central perpendicular chamber f, open at its outer end and extending down .into the casing. A steam-inlet port f2 extends vertically upward parallel with the chamber f, and about midway of the latter is extended through and horizontally across the same at right angles thereto, terminating in a threaded opening f3 at oneside of the casing, while its inner end opens into the upper open end of the bore or chamber e3. An escape-port IOO through the side of the casing.

f4, at right angles to the inlet-port f2, leads perpendicularly from bore or chamber e3 and is extended at right angles horizontally across the chamber f' above the right-angular or horizontal branch of port f2, its end opening A small exhaust-port f5 extends from the bottom of chamber f' through the casing to prevent a vacuum being created in said chamber beneath the valve.

G is the primary valve. It is of cylindrical form and designed to fit snug in chamber f', above which it projects, and is connected by an adjustable keeper-plate g to the short arm g of a lever g2, fulcrumed at g3, the long arm g4 of said lever being extended upward, and near its upper end is provided with an incline or offset g5. A weight g is on the end of the short arm g. In the cylindrical body of valve Gis formed a peripheral groove or cut-away portion Q7, which, when the valve is lowered under the action of the weighted lever, will be in alignment with the horizontal branch of the steam-inlet port, allowing steam to pass into the bore or chamber e3; but when said valve is raised its lower portion will cut 0H the inlet of steam and the groove or cutaway portion g7 being in line with the horizontal branch of the outlet-port steam will be permitted to escape from the bore or chainber e3. This escape, while steam is being admitted, is prevented by the upper portion of the valve closing the horizontal branch of the outlet-port. A pipe H leading from steamchamber d opens at its upper end into the steam-inlet port, its end fitting in the threaded opening f3.

I is the main steam-inlet valve. lt is in the form of a double piston having upper and lower circular partitions t' and i', each forming a separate valve, and areduced connecting portion i2. This valve is located in the casing C and ts within the coincident openings. From the bottom and top of this valve project short piston-rods i3 and 4, which correspond to and iit snug within the boxes or chambers e and e3, the rod t4 being as much greater in diameter than the rod i3 as the diameter of said bore or chamber e3 is greater than that of chamber e. A port t5 extends through the piston-rod 3 upwardly into the valve I, and at about the center of the connecting portion of the latter has two lateral branches, which admit of the constant supply of steam from chamber d to the bore or chamber e, the tendency of which, acting on the piston-rod 3, is to hold the valve I raisedwith the upper valve portion i against the upper buffer, closing the upper exhaust port cl3 and allowing steam to pass from chamber d through ports d and b to the upper end of cylinder B. When, however, the primary valve G is lowered and steam is admitted to bore or chamber e3 by reason of the increased area upon which the steam has to act against the end of the piston-rod i4, the valve I will be lowered, as against the pressure in bore or chamber e, and when so lowered the lower valve portion t" will be against the lower buffer, allowing steam to pass from chamber d through ports d2 and Z9 to the lower portion of the cylinder B. At the same time the upper valve portion c' will open up the exhaust through port d3 from ports b and CZ and cut off the steam-supply from chamber d to said port d. Vhen the primary valve is again raised, the supply of steam to bore or chamber e3 is cut off and escape is had through port f4, the valve I being again raised by the steam-pressure in the bore or chamber e.

J designates the hammer; j, the main piston movable in cylinder B; j', a lower pistonrod extending through stuffing-box a3 and to the lower end of which said hammer is connected. A tail-rod j? extends upwardly from the piston through the upper stuffing-box a2, and upon its upper end is secured one end of a horizontal arm js, the outer bifurcated end of which has a roller L7'4 mounted therein.

Through this bifurcated end projects the long arm g4 of lever g2, said arm constantly bearing against the roller jt Hence as the piston j moves upwardly the army'3 gradually draws inward the arm g4 and acting on the incline or offset thereof causes said arm to occupy an upright position, as against the action of the weight on the end of the short arm of the lever. This movement of the lever effects the raising of the primary valve, which in turn cuts off the upper steam pressure on the main valve, allowing the upward movement thereof under the action of the steam-pressure inthe lower bore or chamber e. By the time, however, sufficient steam has been admitted through the lower port Z9 to permit it lto act expansiv'ely against the under side of the piston to complete the upward movement thereof, the steam passing into the lower bore or chamber e, raising valve I and cutting off the lower supply of steam, the steam will pass into the upper end of cylinder B above the piston, the exhaust beneath the piston being open. This will result in the almost instantaneous downward movement of the pistonj and its hammer, and the full force of the blow will be struck before the position of the valve can be again changed to admit steam into the lower end of the cylinder. The lowering of piston j and its tail-rod will allow the lever g2 to roch and thereby lower the primary valve, admitting steam linto bore or chamber e3, effecting the lowering of valve I by the increased pressure thereon, thus cutting off the upper supply of steam and opening up the lower supply through port b' for againV raising the main piston and hammer. Thus it will be seen that the constant tendency is to hold the valve I raised, permitting steam to pass to the upper end of cylinder B, and that this tendency is offset and steam admitted to the lower end of `said cylinder for raising the piston and hammer by the increased pressure on the upper end of said valve continuing until the said piston IOO IIO

has about reached the upper limit of its movement, when said pressure is released and the valve I again raised by the constant upward pressure. The inertia of the parts is used for the purpose of eifectin g the blow before steam can be again admitted beneath the piston, the time consumed in the change of the valve movement being such as to prevent any check upon the downward movement.

The advantages of my invention are apparent. It will be seen thatl have provided improved valve mechanism which is exceedingly simple in construction and automatic in operation; that the weighted lever holds the primary valve open while the hammer is lowered, allowing steam to passs beneath the piston; that as soon as said piston reaches the upper limit of its movement. the increased pressure on the top of the main valve is released, allowing` said valve to assume its normal upper position, supplying steam above the piston, and that the inertia of the parts is utilized for effecting the blow, since steam cannot be again admitted beneath the piston before the blow of the hammer has been struck.

One of the main features of my invention lies in the fact that the effectiveness of the blow will not be impaired by the height- Of the material in a stamp-mill beneath the hammer. rIhe lever g4 is independent of the tailrod after the arm t7'3 ceases to engage the incline or offset g5. The force of the blow will, of course, be in proportion to the distance the hammer-piston travels, be less as the height of the material increases and greater as the latter diminishes or is disposed of by the stamping process; but whatever the extent of the blow it is never checked by the steam before its entire force is spent.

A steam-hammer provided with my improvements is effective and rapid in operation, and the parts being extremely simple are not liable to readily get out of order or be deranged.

lVhile l have shown my improvements in connection with the drop-hammer of a stampmill, yet it will be understood that it is not restricted in its use in any sense. Likewise changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim as my inventionl. A steam-operated drop-hammer, comprising a cylinder having two ports, a piston movable in said cylinder having a tail-rod, the hammer being carried by said piston, the valve casing having a steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casing and normally held raised by lower steam-pressure, a primary-valve for admitting steam against the upper end of said steam-inlet valve for lowering the latter, and means for operating said primary-valve operatively connected to said tail-rod, substantially as set forth.

2, A steam-operated drop-hammer, comprising a cylinder having two ports, a piston movable in said cylinder having a tail-rod, the hammer being connected to said piston, a piston-like steam-inlet valve designed to move vertically, said valve being raised and lowered by steam pressure and controlling the admission of steam through said ports, and allowing alternate exhaust therethrough, whereby the inertia of the parts is utilized for effecting the blow of the hammer, and means operativelyT connected to said tail-rod for controlling the upper steam-pressure on said valve, as set forth.

3. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, of the valve-casing having a steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casing for alternately admitting steam to, and exhausting steam from, said ports of said cylinder, and communications between said steam-chamber and said casing above and below said valve, whereby the latter is raised and lowered by steampressure, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, of the valve casing having a steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casing for alternately admitting steam to, and exhausting steam from, said ports of said cylinder, communications between said steam-chamber and said casing above and below said valve, and a primaryvalve for controlling the admission of steam above said steam-inlet valve, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, of the valve-casing having a steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casing for alternately admitting steam to, and exhausting steam from, said ports of said cylinder, said valve having upper and lower piston-rods fitted in corresponding chambers, communications between said steam-chamber and said casing above and below said piston-rods, and a primary valve for controlling the admission of steam against said upper piston-rod, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports and the piston movable therein having a tail-rod, of the valve-casing having a steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casingand normally held raised by the steam pressure therein, connections between said steam-chamber and the upper end of said casing above said valve,

`a primary-valve for controlling the admission of steam against the upper end of said steaminlet valve and means for operating said primary-valve connected to said tail-rod, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, of the valve-casing having a steam-chamber and ports correspond- IOO IIO

ing to said former ports, a steam-inlet valve movable in said casing having a port therein forming communication between said steamchamber and said casing beneath said valve, whereby the latter is normally held raised by steam-pressure, and means for lowering said valve as against said 4lower steam-pressure, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, of the valve-casin g having upper and lower bores or chambers, a central steam-chamber, and ports corresponding to said former ports, said upper bore or chamber being of greater diameterl than the lower, the piston-like valve movable in said casing having` upper and lower piston-rods corresponding to and movable in said bores or chambers and also ha-ving a port extending through said lower piston-rod and opening at its upper end into said steam-chamber, a pipe connecting said steam-chamber to said upper bore or chamber, a primary-valve for admitting steam into said upper bore or chamber, and means for operating said primary-valve, substantially as set forth.

9.V The combination with the'cylin-de-r having two ports, of the valve-casing having a steam-chamber, and ports corresponding to said former ports, the steam-inlet,valvemovable in said casing and normally held raised` by steam-pressure, the primary valve-casing having steam-inlet and exhaust ports opening into said former cas-ing above said steaminlet valve, a pipe connecting said steam-inletport to said steam-chamber, the primaryvalve movable in said casing, and means for automatically operating the same, substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, and the piston movable therein having av tail-rod, of the valve-casing having a steamchamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, the steam-inlet valve, the primary-valve for admitting steam against said former valve, the weighted lever to which said primary-valve is connected, and

the arm carried by said tail-rod engaging said lever, whereby said primary-valve is operated, substantially as set forth.

1l. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, and the piston movable therein having a tail-rod, of the valve-casing having a steam chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, the steam-inlet valve, the primary-valve for admitting steam against said former valve, the lever having a short arm to which said primary-valve is connected, its longv arm having an incline or offset at or near its upper end, the weight on said short arm, and the arm carried by said tail-rod and engaging said long arm of said lever, substantially as set forth.

l2. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, and the piston movable therein to which the hammer is connected having a tail-rod, of the valve-casing having upper and lower bores or chambers, the former bei-ng of greater diameter than the latter, a central steam chamber and port-s corresponding to said former ports, the pi ston-lilze valve having upper and lower piston-rods fitted in said` bores or chambers, said lower piston-rod having a port therein leading from saidsteam-chamber to said lower bore or chamber, the upper valve-casing secured to said former valve-casing having steam-inlet and escape ports opening into said upper bore or chamber, the steam-supply pipe opening into said steam-inlet port, the primary-valve designed to alternatelyl open and close said inlet and exhaust ports, the lever to which said primary-valve-is connected, and the arm carried by said tail-rod engaging said lever, substantially as set forth.

13. The' combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, and the piston movable therein to which the hammer is connected having a tail-rod, of the valve-casing having upper and lower bores or cham-bers, the former being of greater diameter than the latter, a central steam-chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, the piston-like valve having upper and lower piston-rods fitted in said bores or chambers, said lower piston-rod having a port therein leading from said steam-chamber to said lower bore or chamber, the upper valve-casing secured to said former valve-casing having a central chamber, steam-inlet and outlet ports opening at4v their inner ends into said upper bore or chamber and having angular portions extending across said central chamber at different altitudes, the steam-supply pipe leading from said steam-chamber of said valvecasing to the steam-inlet port of said primary 'valve-casing, the primary-valve movable in said chamber having a peripheral groove forming a port and designed to alternately coincide with the branches of said inlet and `exhaust ports, the lever to which said primary-valve is connected, and the arm carried by said tail-rod engaging said lever, substantially as set forth.

1 4. The combination with the piston-cylinder having two ports, and the piston movable therein to which the hammer is connected having a tail-rod, of the valve-casing having upper and lower bores or chambers, the former being of greater diameter than the latter, a central steam y chamber and ports corresponding to said former ports, the piston-like valve having upper and lower piston-rods fitted in said bores or chambers, said lower piston-rod having a port therein leading from said steam chamber to said lower 'bore or` chamber, the upper valve-casing secured to said former valve-casing having a-central chamber, steam-inlet and outlet ports opening at their inner ends into said upper bore or chamber and having angular portions eX- tending across said central chamber at different altitudes, the steam-supply pipes leading from said steam-chamber of said valvecasing to the steam-inlet port of said primary- IOS IIO

valve-easing, the primary-valve movable in engaging said long arm of said lever, subsaid chamber having a peripheral groove stantially as set forth. forming a port and designed to alternately In testimony whereof I have signed this coincide With the branches of said inlet and specification in the presence of two subscrib- 5 exhaust ports, the lever having a Weight on ing Witnesses.

its short arm to which latter said primary 1 valve is connected7 the long arm of said lever ALBERI l" REUSSNER' having an incline or off-set at its upper end, Witnesses: and the arm Carried by said tail-rod having XV. H. MITCHELL,

1o a bifureated end and roller mounted therein P. J. VREELAND. 

